ASPEN, COLO.—Canada’s Kaya Turski had one final chance to test her surgically repaired knee in competition before the Sochi Olympics, and she won a gold medal while doing so.

The Montreal native, competing just five months after having surgery on her anterior cruciate ligament, captured her fifth Winter X Games gold medal in women’s ski slopestyle Sunday.

“I just wanted to get out there and land a run that was clean and solid, get back into the groove of things,” said the 25-year-old. “My knee’s feeling really good. I’ve had a lot of great support, a physical therapist travelling with me, all my sponsors have been really involved. Everyone is making sure I’m on the right program.”

Turski injured herself in August while training, and it was uncertain then if she would be ready in time for her sport to make its Olympic debut in February. But with determination and a great support network, she says was able to return back to the slopes well ahead of schedule.

“I wasn’t listening too much to what other people were saying,” said Turski. “The moment I blew (my knee) so many things were going through my head like, ‘What’s going to happen with the Olympics?’ . . . (But) I knew if I put in my everything I could get back to as strong as I was.”

Turski cruised to first place ahead of American Maggie Voisin and Canadian Kim Lamarre.

“I think that I was rewarded for my flow on the course, just keeping it cool and looking smooth,” said Turski. “I want to bring that to the Olympics. I didn’t want to throw my hardest tricks on the course today because I didn’t want to compromise my chances heading into the Olympics.

“I was thrilled to have Kim on the podium with me,” Turski added. “She’s one of my best friends. “She’s one to watch. She’s a really, really strong athlete. She can have a winning run.”

Dara Howell of Huntsville, Ont., finished fourth while Yuki Tsubota of Whistler, B.C. was eighth. All four skiers are on Canada’s freestyle team heading to next month’s Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Meanwhile, American snowboard gold medal hopeful Shaun White, who skipped the X Games while nursing a sore left ankle, said he felt “110 per cent” healthy. White’s top challenger, Canadian Mark McMorris, suffered a broken rib while finishing second in Saturday’s competition, but intends to compete in Sochi.

“That was certainly unfortunate and we were sad to see that happen to Mark,” White’s coach, Bud Keene, told The Associated Press. “Obviously, it’s not the end of the world for him. That highlighted our decision in a good way.”